Corn-popping machine.



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N. B. POST. OUEN PGPPNG MCHN. 511111101111011 11L11M1^;1'1n,191s.

1 ,109,24'7.. Patented Sept. 1, 1914.

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N. B. YST. CORN kOPPING MAGHLNE AYPLIUATEON FLED MAY l0, NH34 Patented Sept. 1, 2914.

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. andfnseful Improvements in Corn-Popp1nng invention, Mgg iso` verticellongitu inal consumed@ expos@ underlyin per-tions :i i, View ofeyportionrof the machine, Fig G is n srs'rns PATENT OFFICE:

NATHANIEL B. POST, F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

To all whom 'it may concern I it lmown that NATHAM'EL B. Pos1, o citizen of the United States, end n resident ofthelcity of Chicago, county of Cook, and Staten? Illinois, have invented ce1-tam. new

li'l'eelines, of which the following is e speer Section.

My invention relates to com popping muchines, vond the- ,ohject'of this improvement is toiprovide a simple end etective machine for continuously poppin com and which Generator. the esteri me imm the P A. Tim-$1 Y. i-

,. chieste wiilappeor hereioeten e,fixiventop consists in the ,combinan ments of parts heroine Al and; imed, Y nvetis will be best undersiomi hy the ecoompaniog dressings. Aof this speri cation, and in :is e frontV cierre-tion`Y with p0rcorn popping mechine embo yin my section oft e gane, Fig. 3 is e section tuigen online M inFig. Q Fig, 1s e section teken on line in Fig. 2, Fig. is a. front on rcsilsrg detail section of e flavor distributing nomic employed in the construetion. and Fig. is e section vteken on line EKJ in .llig 2 y c Y 3 The preferred ,form vof construction as the accompanying `drewings s ill h .2 8 mounted on supporte opper iront portion of n is hopper 9 adopted to receive corn to he popped. The hopper 9 ded with e chute i leading downwerfily and rovided withe spout' 11 leading ti'irongh nousin 8 into e rotative werming chercher 12. he circuler Well 13 oi he warming chamber 12 is provided with Dorting s idem 14 mounted on a shaft 15 sich exten through housing- 8. Also, on fait 1.5 is secured u scraper 16 having ned olefwve and adapted tosrape the Y ff: the spout 1l into the chamber l2. fhg afculur well 13 ci the chamber 12 is plfbvdd 'Y plsroiity of izn'zl-inedplstes t roof l the length of the l A ted to move the com longitudinslly i the chmnher l2 said warming chamber is revolved.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Application filed May 10. 1313.

l exis for the po .p chamber S0.- t

ccnmrorrmo insomma.

Serial No. 766,750.

At the rear end or the machine is a chute `18 leading from the rear endl of the warmlng chamber 12 downwardly into a spout 19.l The spout 19 delivers the corn into the p0p-.

ping chamber 20. The po in chamberi 20 is provided with pp g au'lindrlcal wall 21 of perforated material s ais-wire fabric and solid end walls 22. The end wells-22 are` orovided with supportf l iders @which fire mounted'ou'e f urli jen e" ft 24 is conne to e shaft lhygmeens of.

sprocket wheels 25 end sproclmtchain move simultaneously therewith.. far" Tha popping 2Q is divided srnoller compartments by meensfoirpartiv tiene 2?, 2S, 29 'nnd Theoompal'tmnnt 'between one end wall 22 andjpart' '01x21 is fertile;- divided into numhero cencem tric compartments 31, l32, 33; epd 35 j by incenso! partitions 36.. 'Each ofthe compertments 31 to 35 inclusive. is provided with inclined platee 37 adapted to move the com lo tudinally in each of said com. srtments. e inclined platesy 37 in oneofsaid concentric compartments being oppositely disposed to those'in the next adjacent compartment in order topess the corn first in one direction to one end of the compartment between one end wall 22 and the partition 27. then after passing into the next outer concentric com ertment to the opposite side thereof, es is c early shown. The compartments 31 to 35 inclusive, are rovided with communicating passages 38 Wliich allow the corn after passmg through one concentric compartment to pass outwardly into the next concentric compartment thence through this compartment to the next outer compertment until thecorn hes passed through the outermost compartment 31.

The partitions 27 28 and 29 are provided with perforetions 39 at the periphery at one side and provided with inclined plates 4G to facilitate passing the corn through mid partitions as the chamber 20 is rotated. The partition and the front end wall 22 are provided with perfomtions 41 but do not have en inclined plate to facilitate passing corn therethrough, as it is not desirable to force the corn through these partitions. By permitting the corn to take its own coorte through the latter part of the popping chamber 20 all of the grains which will Patented Sept. 1., 1914.

reach the waste passage 42 which receives the unpopped corn and conveys it out of the machine.

Each of the partitions 28, 29 and 30 and the front end wall 22 is provided with a central perforation 43 in registration with each other and slits 44 also in registration with each other. Inserted in the slits 44 and extending into the perforations 43 is a substantially spirally curved plate 45. The plate 45 is preferably made of perforated material anddisposed in such a manner as to pick up the corn as the chamber 20 is ro tated and ermit the unpopped corn to pass through tlie perforations 45 thereof and again fall on the tubular wall 21 of the chamber 20 to be further acted on4 by the heat fr 'om burners 46. ,The sheet 45 is offset substantially as indicated inY Figs. 1 and 4 and the perforations 45 are provided in the portions of the sheet between said offset portions, as.- clearly indicated to present a greater inclined portion for the unpopped corn to facilitate its passing through said perforations45' as will be readily understood. The perforations 45 in the ortion of sheet 45 in perforations 43 are pre erably `smaller than' the perforations 45 between said offset portions. Said burners 46 are of any preferred construction. The portion of i the late 45 extending into the perforations l43 1s further curved conically with the curvedfportion extending through the wall 22, as clearly indicated 1n Figs. 1, 2 and 4 so that the corn on passing over plate 45 as the-popping chamber 2O is rotated will automatcall'y'move toward the frontend of tl'iejmachine after it has passed to the por! tion .of `said sheet 45extending into the perforation's 43, in order to permit the corn to pass from the sheet 45 into the hopper 47.

Secured between the partitions 27, 28, 29, `30 vand front end wall 22 are curved plates 48 adapted to prevent the direct heat from burners 46 from further acting on the corn after it has passed over sheet 45 to that portioh thereof extending in the perforations 43, These plates 48 prevent overheating or burning the corn after it is popped.

The shaft 24 is connected to shaft 49 by means of a worm gear connection 50 and said shaft 49 is connected byA means of an "endless belt 51 to a motor 52 or other suitable source of power.' A centrifugal fan 53, or other source of sup lying air under pressure is also connected3 to the motor 52 by means of an endless belt 54.

'The air circulating means 53 is connected to an air tube 55 which passes across the lower front` portion of the machine and is connected with the chute 47 substantiall as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2 so that corn w ich is deposited into chute 47 will fall by Gravity into the air tube 55 and be carrie through said air tube with the air curren therein.

The air tube 55 after passing across the lower front portion of the machine is provided with a square turn and disposedvvertically from said turn. At the turn in said air tube 55 is provided a screen 56 referably composed of wire mesh disposed) substantially as indicated in Figs. 1 and 5 in a line with the horizontal portion of the air tube l 55 so that the corn coming from said horizontal portion will contact he screen 56 and the smaller or imperfectly popped grains of said corn will pass through the screen 56 and fall downwardly into the pocket 57 formed at said turn in the pipe 55. The lower portion of screen 56 is formed of smaller mesh than the portion above a point, as at 58. The air forcing the corn against the lower portion of screen 56 permits the use of a finer screen than the portion above point 58, since the heavier grains fall back by gravity and require a coarser mesh of screen to permit their passage therethrough.

Situate under screen 56' is an inclined plate 59 adapted to deflect the air passingthrough screen 56 upwardly toward the ver'- tical portion of said pipe 55. An opening is provided at the lower end of plate 59 to permit the grains of corn which have passed through the screen 56 to fall into the pocket 57 from which they are manually removed through a sliding door 60. A glazed aperture 61 is provided to permit exposure of the corn at screen 56, as clearly indicated in Fig. 5. Only the perfectly popped corn will be carried upwardly through the vertical '.portion of pipe 55 as the imperfectl and partially popped grains will be too 'eavy and not present enoughresisting surface to the current of air to be carried upwardly throughvthe vertical portion of said pi The corn which passes through the vertical portion of pipe 55 will be carried outwardly through the opening 62 into a hopper 63' which is also provided with a glazed apery, ture 64, as indicated in Fig. 5 to expose' the corn as it is passed through opening 62.

'Ehe lower portion of hopper 63 is restricted and a guiding plate 65 is pivotally mounted as at 66 therein 'and adapted to' direct the corn to themeasuring compartments 67 and 68 of the measure 69. The measure 69 is mounted on a pivotal oint 70 in a cha ber 71 and provided with guides 72 whi carry movable ,weights 73. The weights 73 are adapted t'o maintain the measure 69 in' position to receive the corn to ,-be measured and when the corn is passed into que or the other of compartments 67 or 68-until said compartment is filled, the weight. of said corn will automatically move the measure 69 on its, ivotal point until the weights 73 shift on t eir guide 72 to present the other measuring compartment to be filled. The measure 69 is provided with a pin 74 which coperates 'withl the bifurcated end of a lever 75 which is 'pivoted to the side ifi hopper-63 to-eie'ct shifting. of the plate 65 which is' also connected to the bi urcated end of lever '75 by a pin 76,' as clearly illustrated in F ig. '1. vPlates v77 'are secured in positionat the outer sides of the measure =69 in positions to permit onegor the other of compartments 67 or 685 to? beremptied, as clearly indicated in- Figs, land 5. The housing 7 lfis provided with an opening 7-8 at its-lower end to direct the corninto a bag 79,.. or any other. desired object into which the corn is to be" placed.- aftcr being measured.'v The housing 71 is provided with a glazed apertureBO to expose the measuring 'mechanism to view.

.On the top of liousing 8 is va tubular shell 8l adapted to support and conduct heat to a lavoring material container' 82. The container 82 is designed to contain butter or other flavoring material and is provided with a valve 83 adapted to regulate the flow of material therefrom.v A pipe '84 leads .from valve 83 into hopperl 63 and is provided at its end `With a distributing nozzle Said nozzle 85 is provided with a plurality` of small perforations 86 around its lower edge to separate and feed .the flavor-ing material into the corn as it 'passes from opening 62 downwardlyto the measuring mechanism. A second tubular .casin 8i' is provided Vin the housing 8 and adapted to melt the butter or other flavoring material used.V In the hopper 9 is mounted a vertically sliding gate 88 which is*pro vided with a slit 89 permitting the gate-'88 to slide over` the shaft l5. A lcverSO is mounted in the hopper 9. in the manner indicated in Fig. 2 and Connected with thcgate 88 to vary the amount of vcorn fed into Warming chamber 12. On the front of the'hopper 9 is provided an adjustable catch 91 adapted to maintain the lever 90 at different heights in order to lock the gate 88 in its dill'erent positions.

ln operation, the corn is placed in the hopper 9 and gate 88 is set in the desired position to feed the required amount of corn to warming'chamber 12. The motor 52 through its connecting gearing .causes rotation of the Warming chamber l2 and popping chamber 20. The inclined platesl'( in the chamber cause the corn to pass longitudinallyY through chamber 12 and fall through. chute 18 into spout 1.9 which conveys thecorn into chamber and the plates 37 cause the corn to pass lon 'tudinelly through chamber 135 and throng perforation 38 into the. next outer chamber 34. l n a like manner the corn is passed in alternate vdirections through the remaining charn-l bers 34, 33.4313 and 31 and through perf( tions 39 where the heat o the burners 46 causes the corn to pep. corn which does not pop passes through perforations 4l into chute l2 and thence out o the machine:

The Vspiral plate picks up the cornand the. unpopped corn bein -smaller than the perforations 45' in said p ate throu lr the plateV and back onto the wall '-Qloft e .popping chamber 20' to be `actedv .on further by heet from said burners'tl.. I'lhe'popped corn over sheet 45. 'and-intofc'hutellfl and from thencevis takenfrup by thecurrent oli-air passing through tube and carried against screen 56 wherethe partially popped and imperfectlygpoppedgrains are lsepaf rated, the latter being-deposited in` pocketj 57 and. the perfectly popped grains carried' through the vertical portion of .hipe 55 into. hopper 63 from whence it falls irectly intol suitable measuring mechanism, As it falls downwardly. inhopper 63 thellavoring ma.- j

trial is depositedon it from nozzle insuring evenly applying the flavoring mixture.

W'hile l have illustrated and described the' preferred form of construction for carrying my invention 4vinto elect, this is capable of variation and modification Without departing from the spirit of the'inven'tion. I, therefore, do not wish tovbe-flimited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as `come within the Ascope of.

. the appended claims. .Y

my invention what I.

Having described claim as new and desire to secure by Letters fatent is:

l. In a compopping machine, theA combi! nation of a popping chamber; a pluralit of partitions in said popping chamber ,divi ing the .latter into compartments, said Partitions being providedv with registeringperforations in their centralportions and register# ing slits leading from said-perforations to the peripheries of said partitions; and a sheet of curved material having offset portions therein removably held in said perforations and slits, scribed.

2. In-a corn popping machine, the combination of a popping'chamber; a plurality of partitions in said popping chamber divide ing the latter into compartments, said partitions being provided `with registering perforations in'theircentral portions and registering slits leading from said perforations to the peripheries of said partitions; and a s pirally curvedsheet in saidperforations and-said slits, the portion of saidsheetin said slits having ofset's therein and the pox-, tion thereofinsaid perforations being also curved conically, substantially as described.'

3. In a corn popping mac ine, the combination of a popping` chamber; a' plurality of partitions in said popping chamber dividing the latter into' compartments, said ,partitions being prdvided withregistering los. I

' substantially asY deperforations in their central portions and registerin slits leading'from said perforations to 't e peripheriesy of said partitions; and a curved sheet in said slits and perforations, the portion of said sheet in said slits being ofset and having perforations therein except in the offset parts thereof, substantially as described.

4. In a corn popping machine, the combination of a rotary popping chamber; and

a spirally curved sheet 1n said chamber withits outer edge engaging the inner side of the latter, said sheet having spaced oiset portions therein and being perforated except in said offset portions, substantially as described.

5. In a corn popping machine, the combinatiorrof a rotary popping chamber; a spirally curved sheet in said chamber with its outer edge engaging lthe inner side of the latter and its inner -edge near the axis thereof, said sheet having spaced offset portions therein and being perforated except at said offset portions; and supporting means rigidly supporting said sheet in operative position in. said chamber, substantially as described. l f

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

NATHANIEL B. POST. Witnesses:

. JOSHUA R. H. Por s,

vHELEN F. LILLIs. 

